CORVALLIS, Ore. – Marty Holly might be one of the most recognized names on the campus of The College of Idaho. Not just because there's a building named after him, but because of the man he is and the legacy he's left behind.
The Coyotes' longtime Athletic Director and head men's basketball coach came to Caldwell, Idaho in 1981 after assisting the Idaho State University team. When the position opened, Holly was actually calling on behalf of a friend, but the friend wasn't who the C of I was looking for. In fact, Holly was.
Marty with CCC Commissioner Rob Cashell after being named the
NAIA AD of the Year.
Holly – who grew up in Torrance, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles – thought he would stay at the C of I for maybe two to three years before trying to get an NCAA Division I job.
"A funny thing happened though, I fell in love with the College of Idaho," said Holly. "I loved where I lived and my family did as well. I loved the type of young men I got to coach and I grew to love what the C of I stood for. Everyone thinks their school is a special place, but this really is. There are really good people and high character student-athletes at the C of I. I was so blessed and mostly lucky to find a place that fit my needs."
When Holly first got to the C of I, it was not the best situation. His first day he had to lay off his assistant and was wondering what he even got himself into. His family was back at Idaho State and Holly was living in the dorms at the C of I, but people took him under their wings and it turned out to be the best move of his life.
Over 19 seasons with Holly at the helm, the Yotes boasted a 423-156 record and won an NAIA National Championship in 1996. He was named the National Coach of the Year and is a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame. Holly got those NCAA Division I offers he once had been hoping for, but Holly always turned them down.
"I watched lots of coaches I was close to get D-I jobs and get fired in a couple of years," said Holly. "They all told me the same thing: they wished they never would have left the small college level. I kind of developed a philosophy of ' be careful trying to be happier.' My experience as an assistant on the D-I level was not fun. We did not always get to coach great kids on that level and at the College of Idaho you will always be coaching high character young men."
Off the court, Holly also ran the C of I department and wanted it to reflect the special place the university is. When he started, there were only four sports. When he stepped down and turn over the reins to Reagan Rossi, there were 20 sports.
When Rossi first started at the College of Idaho, she was an assistant coach for the brand-new women's basketball program. Rossi never forgot how impressed she was with how Holly treated her when she first got to the C of I.
"He was so gracious of us as a first-year program," said Rossi. "It was a great first impression."
Over the years, Holly and Rossi have built a strong relationship. Rossi even jokes he's one of her "best girlfriends," even if he once accidentally turned on the music on his iPhone in the middle of a board meeting and threw the phone to Rossi to let her take the fall for it.
Marty and Reagan embrace.
As the college was growing and adding sports, Holly started handing things off to Rossi and really laid out the transition for her. When it came time, he knew he was handing the department over to good hands.
"Reagan is a super star and has done a terrific job in leading our athletic department," said Holly. "I think back when she took over as our head women's basketball coach. She once came to me and said, 'I don't think I am any good with recruiting.' From that young woman that was a little unsure of herself to the dynamic powerful leader she is, it makes me very proud that I might have helped her a little. She really is the whole package. Watching her grow as a leader has been fun for me. She is respected by all coaches and handles an under-staffed department far better than I did. I am in awe of just how good she is."
Back when Rossi was still coaching, Holly's wife would tell her how much she loved watching her on the sideline because it reminded her of when her husband used to coach.
"We really are like two peas in a pod I guess," said Rossi. "He's a great mentor, someone you could always bounce ideas off of. I'm truly blessed by his willingness to help me along and mentor me in all aspects of my career."
The College of Idaho made an impression on Rossi too. She left Caldwell briefly, but C of I called her home.
"My husband and I knew we loved the area, the college, and the family feel of the department," said Rossi. "About 12-13 years ago, we talked about me either looking for other opportunities or putting the roots down further here. We felt so strongly about the college that we chose to stay here."
The atmosphere Holly instilled at the C of I helped Rossi make her decision to return home.
"Marty let us coach our teams," said Rossi. "He didn't micromanage or get into the weeds unless he needed to. He let us do our things and helped us when we needed."
Holly also made it a point to encourage his coaches to bring their families around.
"Something he did that I want to keep going is having that family atmosphere," said Rossi. "He really made it hopeful for us to stay. It was ok to bring your kids to work. I have twins and I would bring them to the office and practice at night. He made it a great place for me to be a parent, a spouse and have a career. He loved the kids. That's been the most impactful thing for us. Coaches' schedules are crazy and hard but to have our kids there meant a lot."
Holly has fully stepped away from C of I Athletics as the Special Assistant to the Presidents. As Special Assistant, Holly is in charge of various projects, like the Winston Moore Scholars, and works with development raising money for all arms of the college. He's still in contact with a lot of his former players, but he jokes they don't always answer the phone since he's usually calling to ask for money.
"The new presidents came to me about the position and it was time for me to try something else," said Holly. "It was a great move for me. I couldn't be happier."
It's been almost 40 years since Holly first stepped on the C of I campus and he has never missed any basketball games and attends as many other athletic events as he can. He's very passionate about the Yotes, sometimes getting himself into trouble.
"He has a little bit of a temper – all coaches have that crazy fire," said Rossi. "Nothing like removing your boss from a football game!"
While he might not be coaching anymore, Holly can't fully turn off the fire inside.
"I helped build the men's basketball program," said Holly. "I am a basketball coach. My whole life I've been called 'Coach.' It makes me feel good when someone still calls me 'Coach.' I'm doing different things, but I'll always be 'Coach.'"